Good Cops

[ponch]

Good Cops

[BudMan]

Actually upset over the way they were treated or,
seeing dollar signs by the $2 million judgement in April.
I dunno. I like to think it's not about the money.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I feel most states and cities have some type of quota system. I know a lot of the local police are more than happy to write up tickets. Sometimes it almost seems like some of the police get a percentage.

[Idaho]

I know that the LEO agencies here in east Idaho do not have quotas.

It is good to see that a couple of officers had the stones to challenge their superiors for a bad policy. I would think the fallout from this could be a review of a LOT of tickets.

[usranger74]

As a LEO for 33 yrs and doing a lot of traffic work (I used the first moving radar to be used in the Commonwealth of VA) I never had pressure to meet a "quota". However as I became a supervisor I did compare the "work" of LEOs and my own knowledge of what I believed was a reasonable number of citations (tickets). If a LEO was slacking off on "production" I would talk to them about it. Pressure to write more? Nope, I just checking to make sure they were doing their job. If you work traffic, your job is to enforce traffic law.

[ponch]

And that cop I dated was told at roll call every day what they had to write in paper. If they didn't, they got the three wheeled scooter in the crappier part of a crappy neighborhood. The cops didn't like it, but they didn't like the scooter either.

On another note, quotas or doughnut taxation is so bad in Iowa, they grace two speeders a year if they are under 10 over. If they didn't, half the populace would be in driving school or without a license. It's just that obvious...that it's a way to have some cash flow.

[usranger74]

What can I say, speed kills and it often kills the innocent.

Lot's of drug, illegal guns, drunks and other serious violations are derived from traffic stops. With the exception of the drunk diver, I never saw a complaint about getting him/her off the road.

I live in a small town with a very progressive PD. If you see a speeder in town, you can win most bets by betting she/he is from out of town. I like that.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by usranger74

What can I say, speed kills and it often kills the innocent.

Lot's of drug, illegal guns, drunks and other serious violations are derived from traffic stops. With the exception of the drunk diver, I never saw a complaint about getting him/her off the road.

I live in a small town with a very progressive PD. If you see a speeder in town, you can win most bets by betting she/he is from out of town. I like that.

Most "small town" cops will pull over people they don't recognize. I was when I first moved here. He said, you aren't from around here. In my mind, I said no sh*t sherlock. It doesn't take many words from me to figure out I am not from Iowa. Anyway, the local guys are cool and the newer county sheriff is very good. The previous one got busted for pulling over cars on the interstate that were drug haulers and he happened to skim a little off the top. He was a jerk anyway. The new guy is good, an ex-marine.

[billmac]

Originally Posted by usranger74

As a LEO for 33 yrs and doing a lot of traffic work (I used the first moving radar to be used in the Commonwealth of VA) I never had pressure to meet a "quota". However as I became a supervisor I did compare the "work" of LEOs and my own knowledge of what I believed was a reasonable number of citations (tickets). If a LEO was slacking off on "production" I would talk to them about it. Pressure to write more? Nope, I just checking to make sure they were doing their job. If you work traffic, your job is to enforce traffic law.

As a RETIRED motor cop and traffic commander from a large Texas city, I agree with what Ranger Bill said. If it is your job to write tickets, you need to justify your time on the job. Cops just like everybody else in the world, have to show they are working for their hourly pay. But, setting a number ticket goal is not only illegal, it is frustrating, improper, and unrealistic. It appears the jury thought a LAPD commander was doing just that.

From time to time I hear some bad cop comments or stories. I don't have a bad cop story I want to tell. I will say this. To those that don't like authority figures or simply hate cops, that's your right. Hate all you want. But in my opinion, almost all the cops I knew, just wanted to be proud of their work, do their day, and safely go home to their family. I am proud of those guys, and gals.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by billmac

As a RETIRED motor cop and traffic commander from a large Texas city, I agree with what Ranger Bill said. If it is your job to write tickets, you need to justify your time on the job. Cops just like everybody else in the world, have to show they are working for their hourly pay. But, setting a number ticket goal is not only illegal, it is frustrating, improper, and unrealistic. It appears the jury thought a LAPD commander was doing just that.

From time to time I hear some bad cop comments or stories. I don't have a bad cop story I want to tell. I will say this. To those that don't like authority figures or simply hate cops, that's your right. Hate all you want. But in my opinion, almost all the cops I knew, just wanted to be proud of their work, do their day, and safely go home to their family. I am proud of those guys, and gals.

Cops are humans like everyone else and so there are good and bad. The rub is that when you trust someone with authority and they are bad, it will have bad consequences. I am sure most cops are good, but it's a unique position of authority that when it is abused, you can't take it back and trust is lost.

[usranger74]

Originally Posted by billmac

As a RETIRED motor cop and traffic commander from a large Texas city, I agree with what Ranger Bill said. If it is your job to write tickets, you need to justify your time on the job. Cops just like everybody else in the world, have to show they are working for their hourly pay. But, setting a number ticket goal is not only illegal, it is frustrating, improper, and unrealistic. It appears the jury thought a LAPD commander was doing just that.

From time to time I hear some bad cop comments or stories. I don't have a bad cop story I want to tell. I will say this. To those that don't like authority figures or simply hate cops, that's your right. Hate all you want. But in my opinion, almost all the cops I knew, just wanted to be proud of their work, do their day, and safely go home to their family. I am proud of those guys, and gals.

Well said Bill.

[usranger74]

Originally Posted by ponch

Cops are humans like everyone else and so there are good and bad. The rub is that when you trust someone with authority and they are bad, it will have bad consequences. I am sure most cops are good, but it's a unique position of authority that when it is abused, you can't take it back and trust is lost.

True. And, true of Priest, true of Teachers, True of DRs, True of Judges and true of all Elected Officials, etc.

I guess at some point some folks become so cynical that they can't trust anyone. Fortunately, most folks (or so I believe) in fact are thankful there is a group of people doing their best to protect and serve them. As for me, I do my best (not always successful) not to brand a group by the actions of a few.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by usranger74

True. And, true of Priest, true of Teachers, True of DRs, True of Judges and true of all Elected Officials, etc.

I guess at some point some folks become so cynical that they can't trust anyone. Fortunately, most folks (or so I believe) in fact are thankful there is a group of people doing their best to protect and serve them. As for me, I do my best (not always successful) not to brand a group by the actions of a few.

True, but those people don't have the ability to mame and kill, not as part of their job.

As a rule, I don't hero worship anyone (for the record my maternal grandfather and mother's brother were cops). People are capable of a broad range of behaviors and no one is all good or all bad. Most are just like the rest of us.

[usranger74]

I would be willing to bet that the damage done to society by Priest (who I respect as a group and profession) is significant more that by Cops miss using/abusing deadly force. So, I don't think I can accept your analogy.

I would not call my respect for any group of workers hero-worship (may be the DR that saved my wife life, but that about it). But, I do draw comfort, as many people do, knowing that there are a group of good folks who will run to the sound of gun fire as others run away.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by ponch

Most "small town" cops will pull over people they don't recognize. I was when I first moved here. He said, you aren't from around here.

When did Hooterville get a police force